If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Any CPAP Users Out There?

If you don't immediately know what I mean, then you're not a CPAP user.

Recently found out I have sleep apnea (and always have). It explains so much and my first night with the CPAP at the sleep center left me feeling unlike I have ever felt. It was kind of surreal waking up in the morning feeling like I had actually slept and was refreshed. That entire day was different.

Got mine home and was great the first night but it's been sporadically effective since. I have a feeling I'm not getting the pressure I once was. I also know it takes some time and experimentation to find what works best for each individual.

So I'm curious if anyone on here uses one and if so if they have any tricks they've learned over the years to help. I'm especially interested in masks vs nasal pillows; managing noise; how much pressure; cflex or no; etc...

Grape works as a soda. Sort of as a gum. I wonder why it doesn't work as a pie. Grape pie? There's no grape pie. - Larry David

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

I have been on CPAP for nearly 10 years. I gained a bunch of weight quickly, which seems to have brought it on for me. Not having lost said weight, I use it every night. My diagnosis came after several months of symptoms that I had no idea were due to something called sleep apnea. My wife would hear me stop breathing and gasping throughout the night, frequent bathroom trips through the night, dozing at work, dozing while driving, depression eventually set in, and I was on my way to the sleep clinic.

I needed a very high pressure, now I am dependent. I use a full face mask because I'm a mouth breather at night. I don't know about the nose pillows except that I can't use them according to my resp. therapist. I panic if something happens to my mask because I know that I cannot sleep at night without it and will wake up the next day feeling like I didn't sleep at all and very exhausted.

Work with your resp. therapist to get the right pressure, sometimes they scale it back so you can used to it, but you get used to it pretty quick. But do use it, all night, every night, even if its awkward.

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

I've also used one for a number of years and am long overdue to get it updated, both the pressure and maybe the machine itself. I've maxed my deductible so far this year, so I best get moving on it as it is. I actually use a BiPap machine that lets up pressure occasionally.

ďIn the same way that a baseball season never really begins, it never really ends either.Ē - Lonnie Wheeler, "Bleachers, A Summer in Wrigley Field"

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

Originally Posted by traderumor

wake up the next day feeling like I didn't sleep at all and very exhausted.

That describes me perfectly clear back to high school when I was a 3 sport athlete in about as good shape as I could possibly be. It was so bad it became a major source of discipline for me with my dad. It got to the point he'd come up and throw water on me in the morning to get me out of bed. I went to bed at normal times and never had a hard time falling asleep and felt like I slept OK, but it was no use. I woke up every morning regardless of how long I slept feeling like I hadn't sletp at all. I racked up detention after detention from being tardy to school.

I could hardly stay awake all day and even went to the doctor to get all kinds of tests done. They never even thought to see if I had a sleep issue. All I knew is that I was constantly sluggish and tired. As I've gotten older and not in as good shape, it's gotten worse. I was thrilled to find the source of the problem and have now experienced a few nights of true restorative sleep where the difference is incredible. Now I just need to find how to get that happen every night.

Right now my pressure is at 11, but I think I might even have to increase that. It was based on one night at the clinic in their environment. The other problem is that my wife is having a hard time with the noise from the machine. I've tried to drown it out with some ambient rain sounds but that doesn't work for her. I might have to go witha quieter machine. Right now I'm using a Respironics M Series Pro.

Last edited by MWM; 10-12-2009 at 06:55 PM.

Grape works as a soda. Sort of as a gum. I wonder why it doesn't work as a pie. Grape pie? There's no grape pie. - Larry David

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

I have the same issues you're having MWM. For me, a lot of it is the mask you're using. I've always used a full face mask, but that can wear out pretty quickly. Luckily, my insurance covers a new one every 3 month

My wife has always slept with a fan on in our room and that helps drown it out a little bit. Try to determine if its the machine making noise or if its the air leaking places around your mask, that may help with it a lot.

Finally if the air in your mask is backing up and then all of a sudden releasing, that could be a symptom of Central Sleep Apnea, where not only are you obstructed from sleeping but your Central Nervous System forgets to breathe at night.

When people say that I donít know what Iím talking about when it comes to sports or writing, I think: Man, you should see me in the rest of my life.
---Joe Posnanski

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

I have been using one since last November. I had a severe case(for the last 4-5 years). That aching feeling that trailed me around everyday was fatigue. For me the key was finding an appropriate mask.

Takes 2-3 weeks of using your CPAP for the fatigue to go away. You need to leave it on and use it at least 6 hours a night and when you get the right mask and feel comfortable it should not be a problem.

BTW, my machine senses the breathing pattern and lessens the pressure on exhalation, a very nice feature.

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

I use one -i especially like it when i stay all night at my mom/dad's cause they live in a woods and wouldn't get normal sleep cause of the tree pollen.

The one thing i wish i could change is the mask. I have a full mask that goes over the nose and mouth -but i end up taking it off at night without noticing -when this occurs i get mad cause i know i was sleeping without getting good air

People get depressed not getting the sleep they need because you produce seratonin while you sleep (maybe in a certain stage)- if you don't get that sleep -or hit that stage of sleep where it's produced then you are going to get depressed

For years i couldn't figure out whey i was always tired-the cpap makes a huge difference.

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

I have a Respironics RemStar Pro with Cflex series. After reading your comment about noise I went in and turned it on to just listen, and this one is quiet except for the oxygen flow at the mask. Maybe you are losing some pressure around the mask as you sleep or as you lay a certain way, perhaps that is the added noise level, I am not sure.

I have a similar story of fatigue, up and down nights, tossing turning, worn out in the mornings and never knowing why. Doctors for insomnia and their meds to no avail, then a doctor referred me to a sleep clinic, where the diagnosis of sleep apnea was supported.

It took me three months of trial and error through resistance, then one day on Redszone I read traderumor on here telling me about the CPAP and something in the way he wrote seemed to strike a cord with my mind and I stopped resisting and fussing over it and just wore it and got use to it. Most of the previous sleep disorder patterns went away but the doctor and I did use some meds for a period of time to get my sleep patterns adjusted back to, you know, a more normal pattern of say midnight to seven or eight am. As over time I had just became out of wack and basically stayed up until I could fall asleep.

After a couple years they had to add two liter of oxygen to mine to maintain the sleep consistency and quality that you are speaking of deep relaxing rest for the duration of six to eight hours.

I have used both types of mask. All my life I had slept with the mouth open and feel more comfortable breathing through the mouth. I became trained/conditioned to breath through the nose by using the nose mask with the CPAP and find that easier for me now. I tried the mouth mask and felt like it was blowing out my cheeks, and that was distracting.

No one mentioned it here in this thread yet, so I will:
One thing they did not cover with me at the sleep clinic or the doctors office until afterward and some symptoms showed up of lung and sinus irritations was to make sure that the hoses and mask are cleaned daily with a mild soap and warm water. Also keep an eye on the filters to make sure that they stay in pretty clean shape, regardless of what the manufacturer or other reps say, I mean sometimes they want to wait much longer to change the filters. I wash out the sponge ones regularly, and change the paper ones about once a month or two, I keep an eye on their appearance. I don’t want those machines blowing whatever directly into my lungs if it can be avoided.

Questions:
Lately though, regardless of attempts to be thorough on clean filters, hoses, mask etc. After CPAP use I have found an increase in nostril or lung irritations that sometimes has led to lung congestion. I am wondering if anyone here has had a similar occurrence, and why that might be? All parties indicate after checking their machines, indicate that their machines are in proper working order, but, I am finding a consistency in the symptoms with their use and I don’t have the background or expertise to debate or remedy the problem. Any input that would help would be appreciated, because this last time it went into a full blown lung infection and sinus, like the flu or pnuemonia for the past eight days.

I would agree with their benefits of quality rest and sleep, as well as keeping one alive and breathing during sleep. I have lost almost 100 pounds also, that helps too. I have more work to do though.

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

pm or facebook me, mwm, if you need more info.. I know what you mean about waking up feeling differently. While it's improved my quality of life, it's still a huge pain in the ass, especially keeping the thing clean. My sleep apnea is severe (set at 17) and it's pretty much eliminated overnight camping for me until some medical breakthrough occurs. If I sleep an entire night without it (rare anymore... couple times per year maybe), I inevitably have nightmares where I'm suffocating. Eight hours of sleep will feel like 3.

The noise doesn't bother me, but my wife runs a fan 365 days per year because it bothers her.. If it's cold, she points the fan at the wall instead of at her. The white noise covers up the machine noise.

My machine is respironics and it's fine.

Last edited by cincinnati chili; 10-13-2009 at 12:14 AM.

". . . acquiring J. Blanton from Oakland for, apparently, Bailey/Cueto, Votto and a lesser prospect. I do it in a second . . . The Reds' equation this year is simple: Make Matt Belisle your #3 starter . . . trade for Blanton, win 85 or more, be in the mix all summer." - Paul Daugherty, Feb. 8, 2008

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

Interesting comment about nasal pillows. I've not heard that before and I'd be curious as to why you say that. The tech I work with didn't try to influence me either way. She actually prefers the masks over the pillows, but she says it's pretty close to a 50-50 split on what the patients prefer. I liked the pillows simply because they were so less obtrusive. I'm a side/stomach sleeper so having the pillows made it easy for me to lay that way without worrying about the mask getting in the way. A true mask makes that more difficult and there's just a lot more on your head.

After a week or so I just started to get annoyed by these things touching my nose all night and I'd wind up throwing it off and onto the floor. I'm now going to try a mask (just over the nose) for a while and see if that's better. It was fine last night for the first night.

There are several kinds of respironics machines. Mine was an M Series Pro. The tech said that it's one of the loudest machines out there and she gets compaints about noise regularly from people who are sensitive to sound when they sleep, which I am. She swapped me out with a ResMed and it was very quiet and neither my wife nor I heard anything. The only thing this one doesn't have is the Cflex to adjust the pressure for inhaling and exhaling. I really don't have a problem with that so I'm going to be fine without it. It's going to take a little time to find the right combo for me, but I'm already noticing an improvment.

Last edited by MWM; 10-13-2009 at 03:50 PM.

Grape works as a soda. Sort of as a gum. I wonder why it doesn't work as a pie. Grape pie? There's no grape pie. - Larry David

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

OK, you guys inspired me to use mine last night. I usually don't, normally because I don't see the huge increase in energy. Let me ask a question, after getting the initial setup, has anyone had testing done while wearing your mask to see if it was effective?

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

I noticed a plateau about a year after using it and went back in for a recalcitration of sorts. They kept everything the same. Then last April I did it again and they adjusted the machine from 8 to 15.

As for noticing if it "works." I've always found that it works in that I don't exactly feel re-energized when I sleep with it, but I feel like a zombie if I sleep without it.

When people say that I donít know what Iím talking about when it comes to sports or writing, I think: Man, you should see me in the rest of my life.
---Joe Posnanski

Re: Any CPAP Users Out There?

Originally Posted by JaxRed

OK, you guys inspired me to use mine last night. I usually don't, normally because I don't see the huge increase in energy. Let me ask a question, after getting the initial setup, has anyone had testing done while wearing your mask to see if it was effective?

It makes me uncomfortable speaking to others about medical because I just don’t have the background and depth on such a serious subject as ones health, in the case of sleep apnea untreated, could cost one their life.

From my experience and working with the doctors on me. Adjustment in the air pressure intake, we call it ramping it up to increase or down to decrease. You might need your’s adjusted to get a greater benefit. I have had to over time. Someone can correct me, but I was told that sometimes a person requires a BYPAP when a person has trouble getting the old air out. The CPAP as explained to me was primarily to force air and to keep one breathing. The only test that I have had using or while wearing the CPAP is the blood oxygen level to see if it dropped even during use of the CPAP, that case they did connect oxygen to dispense 2ltre into the CPAP which brought back the continuous sleep, and restful results that the others are speaking of.

You might not always see an amazing burst of energy, you might find personal indicators in calm, relaxed, focus and concentration, longer sleep without interruption, less minor aches/pains etc. I think I have found more than just one benefit from them.

Plus I think that you have to give the body some time to adjust from continued use to realize some of the benefits.

Though I was very impressed with what MWM was reporting as results for himself personally. I took a big mental note of his report and was on the phone today to my supplier and doctor .

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most
importantly, enjoy yourselves!

RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball